Mary Cain, Injured, Withdraws from World Indoors

Heather Kampf replaces her on USA team in Poland.

Mary Cain, the 17-year-old USA Indoor 1500-meter champion has announced, via a statement at USATF.com, that, "unfortunately I will not be able to travel to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot [Poland]."

“Over the past week, I developed a discomfort in my lower calf. I had an MRI scan on Saturday and it was all clear, but I still feel the pain when I wear spikes and have decided not to risk making it worse in Poland,” Cain said. “I hope to be able to run in the World Indoor Championships many times in the future. I wish all my fellow USA athletes the best and hope they bring home lots of medals from Poland.”

Cain, a New York State teenager who’d established American and world junior records this winter, was considered a strong medal prospect for the indoor championships. Her Oregon Project teammate Treniere Moser will represent the United States there. The other American spot will be taken by Team USA Minnesota’s Heather Kampf, who’d led early in the USA Indoor Championships in Poland, then feel far back, and then regrouped late in the race to finish third.

On her Facebook page, Kampf posted, “Feeling BLESSED beyond belief!” and added, "Mary Cain, I wish you quick healing from your injury, but I also want to thank for indirectly providing me with such an incredible opportunity!”

The first round of the women’s 1500 in Poland is at 1:35 p.m. Friday Eastern Time.